Trips to London and greasy spoon ‘refresh’ Draper for French Open

French Open 2025

Location: Roland Garros, May 25 – June

In the middle of a busy season, one of Jack Draper’s most important lessons is that he can mentally recharge.

When the French Open begins on Sunday, the British No. 1 will be in fifth place, having established himself as a force at the top of the men’s game.

The Englishman, 23, who returns to Paris looking to prove a point after falling in the first round last year, has experienced a steep rise.

However, more success can lead to more fatigue, as Draper has frequently pointed out.

After a brief period of rest in London, Draper claims to feel “refreshed” before Roland Garros.

He told BBC Sport, “If I go home and have a full day off, I’ll be normal and go to my neighborhood cafe and a greasy spoon in Putney.”

It’s the typical breakfast for athletes, not the “athlete’s breakfast,” according to the statement. “Beans, sausages, hash browns, all of that tackle.”

I’ll probably travel to London, spend time with friends, and spend time with my family, who I never see.

He made a more recent clay-court debut, reaching the Madrid final at the start of the month, and demonstrating his improved play.

After a brief recovery before a second Masters competition in Rome, Draper made it to the quarter-finals, which further highlights his potent playing on clay.

After fading in the decisive moments, he ultimately lost to French Open champion Carlos Alcaraz.

After a demanding May challenge for two of the biggest titles outside of the four majors, Draper finally acknowledged his level was “in and out” in Rome.

“I’m at the point where I’m trying to adapt to being “on” all the time, which is what I want to do,” Draper said.

“But it’s not simple,” he said. You must learn how to handle that and do everything you can.

I’ve always been someone who is quite wired; I’m someone who consistently strives to accomplish things.

Draper traveled to Paris earlier this week, where he met Alcaraz for an hour on Thursday during Court Philippe Chatrier.

However, he will face left-handed Italian Mattia Bellucci, who Draper first played when they were playing under-12s tournaments, and he will face a number of more well-known players in the draw.

Jannik Sinner, the world’s number one, is a standout name for a potential quarter-final opponent, but Draper may have to wait until then to defeat Alex de Minaur, Joao Fonseca, Hubert Hurkacz, Jakub Mensik, or Alex de Minaur.

Draper, who wants to make it to the last 16 for a third major in a row, continued, “I never really look through the draw.”

When I consider my first-round opponent, I realize that all of these players deserve to be here.

There are many people out there who are desperate to beat me right now because it’s a challenging sport.